4 Career Options In The Legal Cannabis Industry

Just a few decades ago, cannabis was illegal pretty much throughout the entire world. Today, however, a number of countries are shifting their policies towards tolerance and legalization. A growing number of US states have decriminalized the medical and recreational use of cannabis, opening up a whole new world of job opportunities for those with an interest.

Here are four career options to consider within the legalized cannabis industry.

Budtender

The role of a budtender is the cannabis equivalent of a bartender. Just as a bartender is there to not only serve people, but also to advise punters on the particulars of the booze that they sell, a budtender is responsible for helping to steer customers towards the best products for their individual needs.

In order to succeed as a budtender, you will need to be reasonably familiar with cannabis. No doubt your employer will provide some level of training and will help to educate you about the products that they sell. However, if you are coming to the table with a degree of prior knowledge, you will have a significant advantage over other applicants.

If you want to work as a budtender, you will need to be able to work in a public-facing role - this is essentially a retail position after all.

Edibles Chef

This is a fairly self-explanatory role. As an edibles chef, you will be responsible for preparing food that is infused with cannabis. If you are already knowledgeable about cooking, then this is an ideal position to aim for.

The main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis is THC, which is highly soluble in fat. In order to be added to food, cannabis needs to be cooked alongside ingredients that are high in fat. Alternatively, the cannabis can be infused in butter or oil, which are high in fat, and then that infused butter or oil can be used in any dish.

However the food is prepared, the temperature needs to be kept below a certain level, otherwise, the THC will vaporize or combust, ruining the effect. Cooking with cannabis is a little more complicated than regular cooking, but it should be easy for any experienced chef.

Vape Retailer

The market for vapes and ecigs has exploded in recent years. Initially, these products were touted as a way of helping smokers to break the habit. However, vaporizers have long been a part of the cannabis culture. Vaporizing weed offers a number of benefits over smoking.

First and foremost, a vaporizer doesn't heat the cannabis to the point of combustion. Instead, it raises the temperature enough to cause the psychoactive compounds on and in the plant to boil and aerosolize. The vapors can then be inhaled without any of the carcinogenic byproducts associated with combustion.

However, until relatively recently, cannabis vapes were bulky and certainly not portable. Now, there are cannabis vaporizers that are indistinguishable from ecigs (unless you're close enough to smell the vapor of course). They come in two types - oil and wax vaporizers and dry herb vaporizers.

Affiliate

If you operate a successful website or blog, or you have experience in this area, you might be able to strike a lucrative affiliation deal. As an affiliate, you will utilize your online platform, usually a blog or website, in order to promote the products manufactured by your affiliate partner. In exchange for doing this, you will usually receive a flat fee on top of a cut of any sales that arise as a result of a referral from your website or blog. If this sounds appealing to you, check out this guide to the best CBD affiliate programs operating today.

If you are at all passionate about cannabis - perhaps you’re one of the many people who have advocated for its legalization over the last decades - there are a growing number of opportunities for you to work with the plant. The above are just a selection of the jobs and careers available.